Ownership change comes to Triad newspaper

Published: Saturday, February 2, 2013 at 12:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, February 1, 2013 at 3:59 p.m.

"Holy moly" I exclaimed when I saw the tweet Thursday morning that BH Media Group, which purchased the Winston-Salem Journal from Media General last year, had agreed to buy the Greensboro News & Record from Landmark Communications.

(I can't explain why "holy moly" was my exclamation of choice. That's a phrase I tend to use. But I digress).

I knew Landmark Communications had been attempting to sell the News & Record for several years — since 2008, I learned. I also knew BH Media Group, a subsidiary of Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway, had continued to purchase newspapers since it bought 63 properties from Media General. But to learn the two papers located about 25 miles apart that competed for years would now be owned by the same company surprised me.

It probably shouldn't have. Many papers have changed hands over the past few years, including The Dispatch. The New York Times sold us and 15 other regional newspapers to Halifax Media Group a little more than a year ago. Then Halifax bought 19 papers from Freedom Communications to become the 12th largest newspaper chain in the nation.

Newspaper companies like to own several properties in a relatively small geographic area. It allows for some shared functions and synergy that's more difficult at papers scattered across the nation. These cost savings increase the bottom line, an important benchmark for businesses at all times, but especially when an industry faces enormous challenges like newspapers.

Proximity leads to other advantages, too. Wednesday, I traveled to Burlington with reporters Nash Dunn and Darrick Ignasiak for a lunch workshop at sister newspaper the Times-News on the state's open meetings and public records laws. We all three found it very informative and came back with some ideas to share with other staff members.

It took us right at an hour to reach the Times-News office. Darrick had to be back to cover an event at 3 p.m., so we left about 10 minutes before 2. He even wrote stories in the car both going to and coming from Burlington (don't worry: I was driving).

I appreciated Madison Taylor, the editor in Burlington, inviting us to attend. I hope we can find other chances to collaborate in the future.

The Times-News also prints The Dispatch now as well. Many newspapers have outsourced their printing to sister properties, like The Dispatch has, and I believe the closer that location is, the less likely of a delivery problem surfacing.

Most readers probably knew we were owned by The New York Times, since they bought The Dispatch in 1973. They may not be as familiar yet with Halifax Media Group. But you can now spot a yellow Halifax flag flying over our office on East First Avenue.

Ultimately, readers are most concerned with the product delivered to their home or bought from a rack. They don't really care who owns the paper as long as it vigorously covers the community in which they live. I believe they also want editorial decisions made locally, which is the case here with Halifax Media Group.

The annual North Carolina Press Association annual meeting is coming up next month, and I look forward to meeting more of the North Carolina editors who work for Halifax-owned newspapers. Some I've spoken with on the phone, others have corresponded by email, but seeing someone face to face is always the best.

It will be interesting to see how the common ownership plays out with Winston-Salem and Greensboro. The papers had already consolidated some delivery functions, so they had already started working together even before Thursday's announcement. The Charlotte Observer and Raleigh News and Observer are both owned by the McClatchy Co., and their journalists have done some excellent journalism by partnering.

The fact Halifax Media Group and BH Media Group are buying newspapers also speaks to their leaders' optimism about the future of the industry. That's something all of us in the field — and hopefully readers as well — can celebrate.

Chad Killebrew is executive editor of The Dispatch. He can be reached at 249-3981, ext. 215, or at chad.killebrew@the-dispatch.com.

<p>"Holy moly" I exclaimed when I saw the tweet Thursday morning that BH Media Group, which purchased the Winston-Salem Journal from Media General last year, had agreed to buy the Greensboro News & Record from Landmark Communications.</p><p>(I can't explain why "holy moly" was my exclamation of choice. That's a phrase I tend to use. But I digress).</p><p>I knew Landmark Communications had been attempting to sell the News & Record for several years — since 2008, I learned. I also knew BH Media Group, a subsidiary of Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway, had continued to purchase newspapers since it bought 63 properties from Media General. But to learn the two papers located about 25 miles apart that competed for years would now be owned by the same company surprised me.</p><p>It probably shouldn't have. Many papers have changed hands over the past few years, including The Dispatch. The New York Times sold us and 15 other regional newspapers to Halifax Media Group a little more than a year ago. Then Halifax bought 19 papers from Freedom Communications to become the 12th largest newspaper chain in the nation.</p><p>Newspaper companies like to own several properties in a relatively small geographic area. It allows for some shared functions and synergy that's more difficult at papers scattered across the nation. These cost savings increase the bottom line, an important benchmark for businesses at all times, but especially when an industry faces enormous challenges like newspapers.</p><p>Proximity leads to other advantages, too. Wednesday, I traveled to Burlington with reporters Nash Dunn and Darrick Ignasiak for a lunch workshop at sister newspaper the Times-News on the state's open meetings and public records laws. We all three found it very informative and came back with some ideas to share with other staff members.</p><p>It took us right at an hour to reach the Times-News office. Darrick had to be back to cover an event at 3 p.m., so we left about 10 minutes before 2. He even wrote stories in the car both going to and coming from Burlington (don't worry: I was driving).</p><p>I appreciated Madison Taylor, the editor in Burlington, inviting us to attend. I hope we can find other chances to collaborate in the future.</p><p>The Times-News also prints The Dispatch now as well. Many newspapers have outsourced their printing to sister properties, like The Dispatch has, and I believe the closer that location is, the less likely of a delivery problem surfacing.</p><p>Most readers probably knew we were owned by The New York Times, since they bought The Dispatch in 1973. They may not be as familiar yet with Halifax Media Group. But you can now spot a yellow Halifax flag flying over our office on East First Avenue.</p><p>Ultimately, readers are most concerned with the product delivered to their home or bought from a rack. They don't really care who owns the paper as long as it vigorously covers the community in which they live. I believe they also want editorial decisions made locally, which is the case here with Halifax Media Group.</p><p>The annual North Carolina Press Association annual meeting is coming up next month, and I look forward to meeting more of the North Carolina editors who work for Halifax-owned newspapers. Some I've spoken with on the phone, others have corresponded by email, but seeing someone face to face is always the best.</p><p>It will be interesting to see how the common ownership plays out with Winston-Salem and Greensboro. The papers had already consolidated some delivery functions, so they had already started working together even before Thursday's announcement. The Charlotte Observer and Raleigh News and Observer are both owned by the McClatchy Co., and their journalists have done some excellent journalism by partnering.</p><p>The fact Halifax Media Group and BH Media Group are buying newspapers also speaks to their leaders' optimism about the future of the industry. That's something all of us in the field — and hopefully readers as well — can celebrate.</p><p>Chad Killebrew is executive editor of The Dispatch. He can be reached at 249-3981, ext. 215, or at chad.killebrew@the-dispatch.com.</p>